Wireway system and retaining finger for use therein

Claim 1

A wireway system for channelling, selectively routing and retaIning the various wires of a wire bundle interconnecting components of an electrical system, said wireway system comprising: a channel-shaped duct for receiving the wire bundle and having an elongate base and two substantially parallel duct walls extending generally perpendicularly from said base with each of the walls disposed adjacent respective longitudinal edges thereof, at least one of said duct walls comprising at least a pair of adjacent duct fingers which define a slot permitting selective routing of various wires of said bundle, said duct fingers having distal ends which are resiliently deflectable transversely to the longitudinal direction of said base, one finger having an ear adjacent its distal end extending toward the other finger to define a restricted throat to said slot; and at least one retaining finger for retaining wires within the duct and for permitting the addition of wires to said bundle, said retaining finger having a base portion engaging said pair of adjacent duct fingers and further having a finger portion extending generally perpendicularly to said base portion, said base portion comprising first and second spaced walls joined by a support, said first and second spaced walls and said support defining opposed grooves for reception of said pair of adjacent duct fingers, the longitudinal extension of the first and second spaced walls relative to said duct being sufficient to overlap said adjacent duct fingers, said base portion including an abutment surface engaging said ear to hold the base portion adjacent the distal end of said one finger, said retaining finger being mounted on said duct with the first of the spaced walls disposed between the duct walls whereby the retaining finger is captively held by said duct fingers with the first and second spaced walls of said base portion preventing significant movement of said retaining finger transversely of said duct and with the finger portion extending at least partially across the base of said duct to retain wires in said duct while permitting the insertion of additional wires into the duct.